Universal system of identification markings for projectiles



June 14, 1927. 1,632,156

Filed July 8, 1924 i H I A :l 1 A H I A U w I! *|l- Ti. E94- .135-

gin new x or 5 Emu E1 llEH Patented June 14, 1927.

UNITED STATES SAMUEL WILEY, OF METUCHEN, NEW J ERSQEY.

UNIVERSAL SYSTEM OF IDENTIFICATION MARKINGS FOR IPROJECTILES.

Application filed July 8,

(GRANTED UNDER THE ACT OF The invention described herein may be used bythe Government, or any of its otficers or employees in prosecution ofwork for the Government, or by any other person in the United States,without payment to me of any royalty thereon, in accordance with the actof March 3, 1883.

The subject of this invention is a universal system of identificationmarkings for proj ectiles.

For the purpose of identifying various classes of projectiles, it isnecessary to provide them with markings which may be determined evenunder conditions of darkness and when the operator is wearing heavygloves.

The present method of identification does not permit of a wide range ofadaptations under the above conditions. The method of blendingvari-colored stripes or crosses upon the projectile does obviously notfulfill the above requirements. The method of using raised or stampedlettering lends itself to confusion and is not readily distinguishablewhen the operator is wearing gloves, while the method of insertingpronged discs of various designs or configm'ations into a top cap orstopper invites loss of the disc by reason of its detachability andlimits the range of markings to a particular class of projectiles.

My improved system of identification markings which may be used oncartridges, grenades, shells, and bombs consists in form ing themarkings on the body of the projectile during fabrication and instead ofde noting the content of the projectile by irregular markings asheretoiore used, 1. cmploy regular markings which denote the contents ofthe projectile, the location and number of the markings, determining theclass and character of the contents. 1 may use grooved or embossedmarkings finished in any manner and of any number, disposedcircumferentially or longitudinally at the base, nose, or center of theshell. The number of markings may denote the general class of thecontents, while the location of the markings may denote the particularcharacter of the contents as various colors for signal light cartridgesor the specific description of gases and the like used in gas shells orbombs. When a projectile is to be 1924. Serial No. 724,814.

MARCH 3, 1883; 22 STAT. L. 625.)

discharged from a rifle barrel the grooved markings are preferable.

To these and other ends, my invention consists in the construction,arrangement, and combination of elements, described hereinafter andpointed out in the claims forming a part of this specification.

A practical embodiment of my invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a signal cartridge shell formed withraised rings;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing grooved rings;

Fig. 3 is a similar view of a shell formed with longitudinal markings,united to designate a tracer;

Figs. 4, 5, and 6, are side elevations of an artillery shell formed withmy improved means of identification.

Referring to the drawing by numerals of reference The projectile mayconstitute a signal cartridge A as shown in Figures 1 to 3 or a shell Bfor artillery, mortars and projectors, as shown in Figures 4 to 6.

The identification formed on the shell during fabrication may consist ofgrooved or embossed rings 10 or ribs 11, the markings being knurled orsmooth finished, and positioned on the shell or cartridge in conformitywith a predetermined plan.

The general class of the contents may be denoted by the number of themarkings. In the case of signal cartridges one ring or rib may designatea star signal; two rings or ribs an illuminating signal; three, a smokesignal; four,.an incendiary signal; five, a flare, and so on. The colorsof the star or smoke signals may be denoted by the location of themarkings at the base, nose, or prescribed intermediate portions of thecartridge. It will be understood, of course, that the foregoingdescription of the arrangement as to class and character may bereversed.

As it is desirable in certain classes of signals to convey tosurrounding troops the point from which the signal emanates, a tracercomposition may be used to define the trajectory of the signalcartridge. A tracer cartridge may thereforebe denoted by uniting theclass markings as at 12. Obviously designate a high explosive shell;two, shrapnel; three, smoke; four, incendiary; and five, gas. Thespecific description or character of the contents of a gas shell asmustard, chlorine, phosgene, or lachrymose, may be denoted by thelocation of the markings at the base, nose, or intermediate points.

. Tracer shells for use in obtaining clearance and adjusting the sightof the gun may be denoted by uniting the markings as described above.The location of the markings which appear thereon may likewise denotethe type of fuse which is assembled in the projectile,

It is a parent that my system of identification a its of a Wide range ofclass and character designations applicable alike to all types ofprojectiles, while the probability of error or confusion is reduced'to aminimum under all circumstances.

lVhile in the foregoing there has been illustrated and described suchcombination and arrangement of elements as constitute the preferredembodiment of my invention, it is nevertheless desired to emphasize thefact that interpretation of the invention should only be conclusive whenmade in the light of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. A system of identification for tracer projectiles consisting offorming markings on a projectile body to denote class and character ofthe contents, and uniting said markings to denote a tracer projectile.

2. A system of identification for projectiles, consisting of formingspaced markings thereon, the number and position of the markingsdenoting the class and character of the projectile and uniting saidmarkings to denote additional characteristics which may be had in commonwith the different classes or characters.

SAMUEL WILEY.

